Husband of NPA boss pardoned

2012-04-08 17:00

Adriaan Basson, City Press

Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has expunged the criminal record of the husband of the acting prosecutions boss, Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba.

Zuma’s spokesperson Mac Maharaj confirmed to City Press that former lawyer and Scorpions member Booker Nhantsi’s criminal record for stealing a client’s money from his trust fund was erased in September 2010.

Jiba was appointed deputy national director of public prosecutions in January 2011 and acting head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) at the end of last year, after the Supreme Court of Appeal found Zuma’s appointment of Advocate Menzi Simelane was irregular.

She also acted as head of the Special Investigating Unit in December for a few days after the resignation of Advocate Willem Heath.

Nhantsi, who worked as an attorney before being appointed a deputy director in the Eastern Cape Scorpions, was convicted of theft in the Mthatha High Court in 2005.

A police press statement published after his conviction stated that he dipped into funds totalling R193 000 held in a trust for a client in 2003.

Public interest

He was sentenced to five years imprisonment, two years of which were suspended for a period of five years.According to Maharaj, Zuma has the power to grant presidential pardons.

“A pardon is an act of mercy by the president if the president is convinced that it is in the public interest for a pardon to be granted.

“In Nhantsi’s case, he was convicted of the offence of theft, which was his first and only offence. He had also served his sentence.

“Nhantsi is also a qualified and skilled individual who can make a contribution to society. He was therefore pardoned accordingly.”

Jiba is closely associated with Lieutenant General Richard Mdluli, the controversial head of the police crime intelligence unit.

Mdluli assisted her when she was suspended from the NPA in 2007 for allegedly assisting the police to counter the Scorpions’ investigation of former police chief Jackie Selebi.

In a Labour Court matter against the NPA, Mdluli made an affidavit in Jiba’s favour that supported the notion of a conspiracy against Selebi.

Comments

goyougoodthing - 2012-04-08 17:06

Where is it in the public interest to pardon a thief? Criminals protecting criminals.

Kolobe - 2012-04-08 17:39

this zuma idiot is messing our country,only mangaung can save us

Benn - 2012-04-08 18:09

Abracadabra, now we have a thief and now we dont- in the publics interest of course.

Mzwandile - 2012-04-08 19:07

@Spyker - you must be an angry man, dillusional and definately out of your mind. Get life and accept that apartheid is gone forever.

ArchAngel - 2012-04-08 20:23

@goyougoodthing: we differ on so many issues but I have no alternative but to support your post 100%.
cANCer criminals protecting other cANCer criminals. !!

Taariq - 2012-04-08 17:07

Just another government worker perk! Get yours while stocks last.

Refiloe - 2012-04-08 17:07

Crime does pay if ur friend wth the president. ths nxa of a government whos nxt. mxm being a thief is a career in ths country.

Refiloe - 2012-04-08 17:07

Crime does pay if ur friend wth the president. ths nxa of a government whos nxt. mxm being a thief is a career in ths country.

Refiloe - 2012-04-08 17:07

Crime does pay if ur friend wth the president. ths nxa of a government whos nxt. mxm being a thief is a career in ths country.

Sylvester.Mohloli - 2012-04-08 17:10

LOL.....

mapaseka - 2012-04-08 17:11

Quite interesting: Punish Malema for speaking ill of Zuma in the same breath Pardon a convicted criminal for stealing from society. Hypocrite
"A pardon is an act of mercy by the president if the president is convinced that it is in the public interest for a pardon to be granted."

Crracker - 2012-04-08 22:50

You have a very valid opinion there, with respect. We may not all like Julius Malema but the conduct of the governing authority is getting out of hand - in a very bad and malicious manner.

Jacqui - 2012-04-09 12:38

Mapaseka, what a great way of stating the truth.

Tasmee - 2012-04-08 17:15

We live in dark times!

Tshepo - 2012-04-08 17:44

Dark Times indeed. I mean, what do you say to this?

Sharon - 2012-04-08 17:46

And its going to get a lot darker really soon! It is like JZ is playing chess, and getting all of his little pawns in place for Mangaung. Adv Jiba now owes him a big favour, and he WILL call it in.

Gregory - 2012-04-08 17:15

Down with Zuma down. Crime to him is a way of life. This insane dictator must get out of parliament. Enough is enough.

appietrader - 2012-04-09 11:07

How do you propose to do that. The ruling party is run by a bunch of criminals and that won't change. Black people will vote ANC till the end of time!!!

kulanim2 - 2012-04-08 17:18

It's time I apply mine too

CliveK - 2012-04-08 17:26

Way to go, Jake. Surround yourself with criminals, and then tell us that your government is committed to fighting corruption. Most politicians are bare-faced liars, but Jake and his cronies take the cake.

Johan - 2012-04-08 17:31

Smacks of pay back time. There are wheels within wheels here. There are many attorneys who have dipped into trust funds that are going to expect the same favour but to no avail. A bad precedent.

Dave - 2012-04-08 17:35

Your last sentence should read " A bad President".

Vic - 2012-04-08 17:46

What a good husband and wife team; he who was a criminal and she who was suspended from the NPA in 2007, for trying to scupper the Scorpions investigation against Selebi.

Franklyn - 2012-04-08 18:00

plots within plots within plots within plots within plots............everyone is waiting in the queue for tax-payers money,we are truly NEVER going to achieve honest accountable governance with this assembly of crooks.

Kevin - 2012-04-08 18:02

well, its obvious that the majority of South Africans support crime, theft and corruption because they keep voting for criminals, thieves and corrupt politicians, so there is no point complaining! use your votes or accept your fate!

Lebo.Jeed.Tshepi - 2012-04-08 18:06

Good to be husband/wife, brother/sister to people with power.

Hermann - 2012-04-08 18:16

Crime beloved country, crime rules.

Serame - 2012-04-08 18:22

**THERE'S HONOUR AMONGST THIEVES...Absolute abuse of power..Julius said it himself..we'll see more pardons coming for these thugs**

Frank - 2012-04-08 18:24

what motivation is there for us to remain honest taxpaying South Africans ?

Serame - 2012-04-08 18:24

Its called STATE INFORMATION BILL**Once its approved..then Schabir Shail will be pardoned and access to his records will be called CLASSIFIED INFORMATION..

Bertus - 2012-04-08 18:27

This is an absolute shame and disgrace. In which other parlement/government (except in Africa) will you find this type circus? Ministers stealing money, police commissioners being linked to corruption, and even NIA bosses who is smeared with allegations of murder and corruption. And above that the president, who is supposed to set an example, just pardons and re-instates these types of people. Its and absolute disgrace and I am ashamed of our government, now more than ever.

carolyn.dewrance - 2012-04-08 18:32

Another one to feed off the Tax payers money, Wonder how much this one will eventually walk away with.

Ishmael - 2012-04-08 18:50

Is this in public interest to let loose another thieving criminal based on that reason? Surely there are other educated convicted criminals too sitting in jails countrywide. Wish this zooma era can pass as quickly as possible.

Mark - 2012-04-08 19:15

I fail to see any public interest here, all I see is a corrupt person pardoning another corrupt person in his own personal interest.
Time for Zuma to go - he's busy surrounding himself with so many cronies, creating his own praetorian guard, that he's liable to declare himself emperor soon.

Bless Boswell - 2012-04-08 19:25

This is totally unacceptable. It conveys the message that even in a position of trust one can lie, cheat and steal and get away with it - with even a presidential pardon. This makes a mockery of the legal profession, the president and the ethics of the ruling party.
This is actually good - in the run up to the next election, let them show their true colors ...

frank.hartry - 2012-04-08 19:25

In other Democratic countries a pardon is granted to person[s] that later on were found to have been wrongly convicted. For example during WW1 1914-1918 the British army courts martialed hundreds of men that were found to have committed cowardice when under fire. The defence plea of mental illness because of shelling was ignored and the men were executed by firing squad. Ninety one years later in 2009 all of the executed men were pardoned by the British government as the mental illness was proved to be a genuine illness. Zuma has no idea what a pardon truely is. He is plainly too irresponsible to have such powers of pardoning. More so because he himself is still to answer for strong cases of fraud and corruption but is too cowardly to do so.

Bless Boswell - 2012-04-08 19:27

Well said Frank - from your lips to Zima's ears!

hc12345 - 2012-04-08 19:40

Why shouldn't one criminal pardon another one?

Mzwandile - 2012-04-08 19:45

I feel sorry for Zuma, once more he has signed something he didn't know. Pardon's are processed by the department of Justice and Constituional development. It is the same department that has made Zuma to look like a fool, Simelani's appointment, Willaim Heath's appointment, changing of the judge to be part of the comminssion to probe Cele's matter. Zuma must do himselve a big favour a fire Mr 10% or he will forvere make follish decisions.

Jacqui - 2012-04-09 12:42

Jymiro, you can always find excuses if you are looking for them. By signing something he didn't understand are you saying he is dumb?.
You have your head in the sand, don't keep it there too long.

frank.hartry - 2012-04-08 20:43

What is so galling is that it is Maharaj who pomously tells us what Zuma is allowed to do. There is no doubt that he will need to be pardoned one day as he has not answered to the allegations by the M-G that he and his wife deposited millions of rands of ill gotten gains in overseas banks. They are all looting as much as they can and depositing billions into overseas banks. Just as Gaddafi did.

Eduard Marais - 2012-04-08 23:13

there is so much corruption going on it is not even funny, but yet there are many idiots who still think the ANC is a legitimate organisation; granted, see what happened with in Zim, same story of idiots continuing to vote for the crooks. Africa oh Africa, when will you ever learn your lesson?

Ronald - 2012-04-08 23:21

This report, in a nutshell, explains the Zuma government. If you commit a crime, however heinous, you will either not be prosecuted, the justice process will be interfered with, or if you are sentenced, the sentence will be ridiculously inadequate, will be made a mockery of ala Sheik, or you will be pardoned by Zuma if all else fails. All that needs to be done in return is to mind Zuma's back. Zuma, you are breeding a generation of criminals that will cause your own downfall.

Stanley - 2012-04-09 01:53

Hai i giv-up, S.A is a living hell full of thugs

Mike - 2012-04-09 08:15

As a member of the legal fraternity I am dumbstruck and whats more an appointment to the NPA, FFS!

Fred - 2012-04-09 08:57

Wait, the Zuma dance is still coming. Remember, he called for an investigation into the arms deal. Everyone thought he committed suicide. He stalls the start of the investigation, he pardons her, appoints her to the NPA and voila, he is founs squikie clean. Surprises anyone!!!

Wayne - 2012-04-09 08:27

Its in the public interest??? I assume therefore that there arent any other suitably qualified attornies out there who can fill this position? Wonder how many other "pardons" have been granted by Zuma since assuming office. I suspect it might look like a "who's who" of all the thugs, thieves and sheisters who make up Zuma's list of friends.

billidp - 2012-04-09 12:11

Zuma’s spokesperson Mac Maharaj confirmed to City Press that former lawyer and Scorpions member Booker Nhantsi’s criminal record for stealing a client’s money from his trust fund was erased in September 2010. NICE TO BE A BUDDY OF SHOWER-HEAD HEY!

Jacqui - 2012-04-09 12:45

Mac Maharaj has long forgotten what it is to be honourable.

Nhlanhla - 2012-04-09 12:18

This idiot has proved himself he does not deserve the second term.How many intelligent people who are still behind bars are cannot be pardoned because are not politically connected to the president.

Jacqui - 2012-04-09 12:36

Zuma's kind of people.

berni.venter - 2012-04-09 20:41

Favour for a favour is fast becoming a South African political passport.